Manhasset Minuteman Press

Everyone has comfort foods they view as the perfect meal after a long week at work, a stressful day, or even just to wake up to after a long night out with friends. These foods range from a plateful of pancakes to a bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese or Mom's chili. Whatever the comfort food may be, most tend to share a few characteristics on common. They're not all that good for you. They're very filling. Health experts would tell you not to eat them. Theoretically, food should be optimized to provide our bodies with nourishment. Foods that don't provide optimal nourishment -- and might actually hurt it with excessive calories, salt, and fat -- should not be desired. However, as humans, most of us like to enjoy our foods. Hence, the popularity of comfort foods. What purpose do these foods serve? Comfort foods fill a very specific role in our lives. For some people, favorite comfort foods remind them of their mother or grandmother's cooking when th

Everyone who's worked around printing has undoubtedly heard the same mantra at least once or twice: Save a tree -- don't print. While it's true that climate change is a major challenge facing our nation and the world, the idea that printing is contributing to deforestation is a misconception. Research indicates that the number of trees in the U.S. is actually on the rise. Tree farming -- the source of most paper products -- is the cause. In reality, printing is a sustainable industry that actually benefits the environment. Let's debunk a few of the myths surrounding printing... and discover why it's greener than you think. Myth #1: The Number of Trees in the U.S. is Declining Actually, the opposite is true. Statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization indicate that forest growth has exceeded harvest for more than 60 years; in fact, forest growth volume is 380 percent more today than it was in the 1920s. That means that the country is actually h

When it comes to business marketing outreach tools, it just doesn't get much more venerable than the newsletter. In fact, some even describe the newsletter as the perfect intersection of tradition and technology. Indeed, it's hard to top a well-designed newsletter that's filled with useful, relevant information and thoughtful graphics and images, especially when it's printed on attractive paper. A well-done newsletter simply screams "high-quality," an impression that rubs off on the business that distributes it. The newsletter's history itself is inextricably entwined with commerce and marketing. Let's delve into the background of this classic marketing tool -- and explore the new ways that newsletters meld tech and tradition. Newsletters: The Early Days Historians believe that the first newsletter was created in 1538, decades before the advent of newspapers, but the first documented newsletter appeared in England in 1631. Titled "

Anyone who's visited a children's playground in the past few years has likely noticed stark differences from the jungle gyms of the 1970s and early 1980s. Today's equipment is very sanitized. There are very few ways for children to possibly injure themselves. Signs clearly indicate the age appropriateness of the equipment and discourage smaller children from trying the equipment designed for older children. Over the past 30 years, it has been increasingly common for towns, cities, and designers of playground equipment to create playgrounds that maximize safety and minimize the risk for the children and themselves. Those who hang around playgrounds have also become accustomed to the sight of overprotective parents. These parents monitor their children's every movement and interfere at the slightest suggestion of a struggle or their child having a disagreement with another child. The motivations are understandable. No one wants children to get injured while playin

Quick, what comes to mind when someone mentions they're going to visit New York City? What about Washington, D.C., Toronto, or Paris? Every city has something that makes it unique, even if it's not far from other metropolitan areas. Washington, D.C., and New York are only about five hours apart, yet the two cities are remarkably different. Those visiting New York for the first time might be interested in trying their first New York bagel, visiting the Empire State Building, or seeing Times Square. Those venturing to Washington, D.C., will be more interested in seeing the major buildings of the U.S. government and visiting the monuments found around the city. No one ventures to New York and then says, "There's no point in going to see Washington, D.C. It's going to be just like New York." Why? Branding. In many ways, cities have done a great job of branding themselves to potential visitors. They've created an atmosphere and a 'product' o

People enjoy feeling as though they belong. It's a part of our universal desire to form strong bonds with other people and feel connected to those around us. From student clubs to neighborhood organizations, this desire plays out across our nation in a variety of settings. This desire also has a firm place in marketing. One of the best ways to encourage brand loyalty involves encouraging customers to feel as though they're part of an exclusive group when they use your brand. When people feel connected to your company and to other users, they're more likely to become repeat customers and even recommend your brand to others. Few companies have enjoyed the success Facebook has in this regard. The early days of Facebook Back when Facebook was first developed, it was available only to users at colleges and universities, and they had to have a .edu email address to register. This effort to create a distinctive market resulted in a very strong community among Facebook

No matter how great your product or service is -- and we know it's great -- customers still make buying decisions based on emotions. Sadly, most businesses don't strive to create that personal connection that influences buying behavior. When it comes to effective sales and marketing approaches, building relationships with customers is key. But how can you bring that all-important personal touch to every transaction and really make your business stand out? These best practices will help you nurture personal connections with customers and build brand loyalty. Ask First, Sell Later Before you jump right into a standard sales pitch, take the time to ask your customers a few questions. More importantly, really listen to their answers. A bit of gentle probing will help your customer articulate exactly what it is they need. That, in turn, will allow you to clearly explain exactly how your products or services will solve their problems. This way, you're not simply

Quick: Which single piece of marketing collateral combines two old adages -- "first impressions are the most important" and "a picture is worth a thousand words" -- and proves them both true? It's the trusty business card, of course! Given the wealth of information this compact little marketing tool holds and delivers in just a few inches of space, it's no surprise they've been popular since the 1400s. Today, business cards are still evolving, with ever-more creative designs and options. A Rich Past: The Social History of the Business Card The forerunner of the business card stretches back to 15th century China. At that time, royals and aristocrats would send their servants to the homes of other members of the upper classes, bearing "visiting cards," announcing their intent to pay a visit. Two centuries later, the practice caught on in France. During Louis XIV's reign, visiting cards became all the rage in high society circl